I walked to the gate where my UPS man awaited me. I'd been cleaning the soot from the pool and it felt vaguely otherworldly to collect a parcel.
My "week to view" tool was coming to an end, and as it's American, it's off my shopping list, at lease for the duration of the current regime. So, I found myself on the Smythson website, named for Frank Smythson, inventor of the world's first lightweight portable diary.
The company is as English as cheese and pickle or strawberries and cream, with Royal warrants from both Charles III and Queen Camilla. I have purchased a Soho Weekly Academic Diary in Panama, but more of that later. To give you an idea of the aspirations of this diary (if the price hasn't already) allow me to reproduce the first few entries in the Cultural and Sporting Events calendar found at the front of the book.
UK
Jul 1-6 Henley Royal Regatta (Henley-on-Thames)
JUL 17-20 The 153rd Open Championship (Royal Portrush)
Mid JUL - Mid SEP BBC Proms (Royal Albert Hall, London)
Late JUL The International Polo Day (Guards Polo Club, Surrey)
Such a busy time the summer. The pages also supply the requisite phone numbers and websites. Watch the banner video at the Polo Club. So many questions.
Why Soho? Soho is a Smythson size: 7.7 by 5.5 inches or 19.6 by 14 cm. So not quite as tall as A5. The Panama refers to the cover, Panama being their term for soft cross grain leather.
I bought it for its vertical week to view diary pages, their utility superseding even the telephone number for Cowes Week. I find it useful to have a full week to view, where I have inserted my commitments - meetings, golf, the inevitable padel games and can see therefore where I have blocks of time. I try to reserve blocks for my most important tasks during my weekly planning session on a Sunday or Monday. It's not particularly high-powered, but it keeps me grounded. I love a good task list, and can fill a task manager to infinity and beyond, but time is finite, and a diary makes that very obvious.
While I can find this format in may places, Smythson's real point of difference is its paper. "Gilt edged, pale blue featherweight paper," if you must know. Lovely - and fountain pen friendly. There are some additional format pages in the book too - and I daresay these will get used, particularly when I'm travelling.
A Smythson notebook or diary is an indulgence, so it's well worth keeping a watch for their regular sales, where substantial discounts can be got.
On the other hand, life's too short for crappy paper...
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